The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-08-06

think vanV
pushing hers
1t was indeed az
was being acted befoTot
a plainness it seemed incrc
did notsee. With eyebrow an
van Ruyven was demonstrating
nelia for ignoring the presence of they
nabob. Mr.. van Ruyven hung arods
talking volubly, first to him, then to his~
daughter Now that 1 had been told,
thousand things sprang up in confirmation
of what had just heard-of what would
have called a slander a moment before.
Bankrupt, fraud, beggar, coward seemed
written over a face that had fancied ear
nest and preoccupied, decidedly aristocratic.
My skill at physiogomy had to bear the
rudest blow. l mentally vowed never to
trust to intuitions again.
While all these things were hurrying
through my mind and was breaking my
way through jungle of memories, conclu-
sions, doubts, and impressions into clear
vista of actuality, both Marston and myself
had taken peculiar attitude toward van
Ruyven by no means unnoticed by Cornelia.
She had long seen that we were talking of
her, and, as if she felt that something un-
usual was about to happen or be said, had
instinctively moved forward in the group
until we were ranged opposite in defiant
position. The other people had passed into
the larger room where the dancers we're
now thick and the floor denseiy crowded
1t was evident that Cornelia knew moth
ing and Mrs. van Ruyven's hard-lined face
would not reveal whether she had been told
the truth or not. There was too much de-
light bubbling in my heart to be angry at
Marston, although his tone Jared on me.
Cornelia noticed the change in my express
sion across the room, and as took few
steps towards her she moved sympatheti-
cally out of the little group of men, who
fell into the rear
At the moment when l hesitated what
should be my course there happened an unu-
sual commotion in the adjoining drawing
room. Loud cries and quick commands
were heard from that direction, accom-
panied by an ominous cracking, as of tim
bers. A voice cried that the floor was
falling, others called out that there was no
danger. But the panic had already set
in. Cornelia turned pale and cast fright
ened glance around at her friends, then she
looked for Marston, then at me, and held
out her hands. 1 was at her side in an
instant and hurrying her out of the room
by side passage.
''Take care of mamma. Put her into
the first carriage you find p cried Cornelia,
imperiously to her followers, and those who
had presence of mind enough obeyed her
loyalty. l managed to get her down the
crowded stairs, full of fainting women and
men who were assuring them there was no
danger. The dressing room being luckily
on that floor l got coat to cover her and
took her out on the sidewalk.
1t was some distance to her carriage,
which stood far down the line Of coaches.
"Advise me, Cornelia,' said 1. "Sup-
pose me in love with woman who thinks
herself an heiress. But really she is poor
She has treated me vilely. Would you
consider yourself bound to be -constant?"
"Bound-?" said she, recklessly, but
pausing with quaver in her voice. No.
"But suppose love her to distraction"
"She is lucky woman, said Cornelia,
gloomily.
"Suppose it is you, Cornelia," said l.
"I-what do you mean ?-not that my
fortuneis gone? Notthat we are paupers?"
$50 hear, Cornelia y
She stopped short and all at once burst
into tears. covered her as best l could
with the coat. But every one in the street
was so excited by the rumor of an accident
that it passed without notice.
II can understand how hard it is, said
l, feeling not little uncomfortable at the
way she took it.
"Hard ?" cried Cornelia, lifting her face,
glittering with those strangest of all tokens
of emotion, tears; II never was so happy
in my life"
Before could say word she had stripp-
ed her arms and hands of the bangles and
rings that covered them and had thrown
them broadcast to a crowd of men and
children that had closed about us IN open
mouthed wonder. 1 hastened to put her
in the carriage and then stood hesitating,
pale with longing, red with embarrassment,
uncertain whether to shut the door or not
The coat had fallen from her shoulders, and
as she leaned forward in the light of the
street lamp, thought she had never been
SO beautiful, although, for the first time, l
saw her look falter.
~ feel SO lonely in the world" she slut
tered, as if cropping her way in her own
mind. "Is that the way beggirs feel ?"
1 said nothing, but swung the door
partially to.
"What change it makes in everything;
how wicked and selfish have been-poor
fatherp'
"Still l could not utter word, but held
the door firmly while I looked down into
her eyes.
"Don't you think we have suffered
enough ?" she whispered in answer to a
question l had not dared to put in words,
blushing down to her shoulders, but hold
ing out her hands, no longer disfgured by
their barbarous ornaments, with the same
gesture she had used in the room above.
That carriage door was the gate OF Par
adise. sprang in and we were whirled
of.
Practical SYMpATHY.-Ino one Of our
sleeping cars in America there was an old
bachelor who was annoyed by the contin-
ued crying of child, and the Intellectual
attempts of the father to quiet it. Pulling
aside the curtain, and putting out his head
he said